Simone Manuel Gets Oh So Close To NCAA and American Record in 50 Free

Photo Courtesy: Dan D'Addona

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Stanford senior Simone Manuel continued the team’s hot streak on Thursday night at the 2018 NCAA Division I Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships at Ohio State University. Manuel won the 50 free final with a 21.18 to just miss the NCAA record that she set last year at 21.17. She was also off the American Record of 21.12 from Abbey Weitzeil.

Weitzeil was fourth in the race at 21.67. Tennessee’s Erika Brown was second at 21.51 while Ohio State senior Liz Li was third at 21.59 in her home pool.

Beryl Gastaldello (21.74), Aly Tetzloff (21.77), Caitlin Cooper (21.77) and Caroline Baldwin (22.01) also swam in the championship final.

This is Manuel’s third title in the 50 free as she won in 2015 and 2017. She did not compete in 2016 for the Olympic year. Manuel is the first to win three titles in the event since Georgia’s Kara Lynn Joyce won four from 2004-2007.

Stanford’s Catherine Fox (1997-1999) and Texas’ Leigh Ann Fetter (1988-1991) are the only other swimmers to win at least three 50 free NCAA titles.

This is also Stanford’s eleventh 50 free title as Manuel joins Fox, Krissie Busch (1984), Jenna Johnson (1986, 1987) and Jenny Thompson (1992, 1993) as winners for the Cardinal.

Event 5  Women 50 Yard Freestyle
=========================================================================
         NCAA: N 21.17  3/16/2017 Simone Manuel, Stanford
     American: A 21.12  3/5/2016  Abbey Weitzeil, Canyons Aquatics
    U.S. Open: O 21.12  3/5/2016  Abbey Weitzeil, Canyons Aquatics
         Meet: C 21.17  3/16/2017 Simone Manuel, Stanford
         Pool: P 21.46  3/15/2018 Liz Li, OSU-OH
                 21.80  AUTO NCAA A Standard
                 22.99  CONS NCAA B Standard
    Name           Year School            Prelims     Finals       Points 
=========================================================================
                            === A - Final ===                            
 
  1 Simone Manuel    SR Stanford            21.60      21.18P        20  
    r:+0.67  10.30        21.18 (10.88)
  2 Erika Brown      SO Tennessee           21.60      21.51         17  
    r:+0.70  10.56        21.51 (10.95)
  3 Liz Li           SR OSU                 21.46      21.59         16  
    r:+0.63  10.41        21.59 (11.18)
  4 Abbey Weitzeil   SO California          21.49      21.67         15  
    r:+0.63  10.46        21.67 (11.21)
  5 Beryl Gastaldel  SR TAMU                21.63      21.74         14  
    r:+0.62  10.49        21.74 (11.25)
  6 Alyssa Tetzloff  JR Auburn              21.85      21.77         12.5
    r:+0.60  10.43        21.77 (11.34)
  6 Caitlin Cooper   SR Virginia            21.95      21.77         12.5
    r:+0.70  10.61        21.77 (11.16)
  8 Caroline Baldwi  SR UNC                 21.80      22.01         11  
    r:+0.72  10.67        22.01 (11.34)

 Women - Team Rankings - Through Event 5                 
 
  1. Stanford                          171   2. California                        115
  3. Tennessee                        96.5   4. Michigan                           87
  5. Virginia                           86   6. Louisville                         69
  7. Texas                              68   8. Texas A&M                          65
  9. Ohio St                            40  10. Georgia                            39
 11. Arizona                            32  12. UNC                                25
 13. Kentucky                           24  14. Minnesota                          22
 15. Wisconsin                          21  16. Southern Cal                       20
 17. NC State                           18  18. Auburn                           16.5
 19. Missouri                           15  20. Purdue                             14
 21. Denver                             11  22. Penn St                             9
 23. UCLA                                6  23. South Carolina                      6
 25. Indiana                             5  26. Alabama                             4

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Korina Sanders McGill

6 years ago